Charlie Chaplin's Modern Times
Personal Lessons and Insights

Jesse:

Lyn:

A man and woman pull together and survive against nearly impossible circumstances.

Dave:

Charlie Chaplin lampoons the overbearing institutions of commerce,
government, and politics while using slapstick and nonsense in the
last mostly silent movie made for commercial distribution.

2.

Interesting Character

Jesse:

Charlie Chaplin's character always worked toward his personal
survival, usually using unexpected or unorthodox methods, like trying
to get back into jail to get his dry room and warm meals again.

Lyn:

The street waif never gave up, and always found a way to take the
most meager of resources or opportunity and make the most of it.

Dave:

Chaplin's character was hilarious as the constant victim. You knew as
any item appeared on the screen, from the red flag falling off the
lumber truck to the bolts placed on the 'auto-feeder' that within 30
seconds the innocuous item would somehow come to victimize Chaplin.

3.

Interesting Scene

Jesse:

When Chaplin lied to say the he, not the girl, had stolen the bread.
Although he was secretly trying to get back into jail at the time, it
seemed to be a genuine act of courage and chivalry.

Lyn:

When Chaplin emerged from jail and the street waif had found them an
abandoned shack to use as home. Even though it wasn't "Buckingham
Palace", they made it home. And Chaplin's character was not
patronizing or sarcastic but accepted the gift sincerely and was
grateful for it.

Lyn:

Also, Chaplin's character showed integrity and sincerity throughout
the film. Even though he was going about with unorthodox methods for
unusual goals, he always displayed a straight forward attitude of
integrity. For instance, he ate his own small lunch while feeding the
stuck engineer his more bountiful one, and when deciding to go to
jail, he ate an extravagant lunch and even gave chocolates to street
urchins (rather than punching someone or breaking a window).

Dave:

When Chaplin accidentally became the head of the parade for
communists, he was the only one arrested by the police and the
others, the actual ringleaders, were told simply to disperse. Later,
the juvenile authorities come to arrest the girl just when she
achieves steady employment and a stable relationship. Chaplin showed
the danger of a police state where arbitrary, split-second decisions
by authorities, incorrect but without appeal, can randomly harm
innocent citizens.

4.

Something this film made me think about.

Jesse:

One can be happy without extravagances. When outside factors are
against you, you simply decided what you need and accept that with satisfaction.

Lyn:

When people decide to look at life positively, they can pull together
and create a place for themselves that can provide genuine peace and
satisfaction. You need simply to persevere and take advantage of any
opportunity that presents itself.

Dave:

I was astounded at the complex theme from this Chaplin film. Growing
up as a child in the 1960's, all retrospectives of his work were
sanitized of social parody about work, government, the police and
presented only slapstick pie in the face slapstick. He was presented
to be the same as Buster Keaton, only with a smaller library of work.
I was astounded to see the scene of his inadvertent use of cocaine
(surely clipped by the TV censors) of the communist parade and strike
(only the slapstick factory scenes were shown) or of the juvenile
authorities tearing apart the girls life (while being shown the
dancing waiter scene). I understand now why Chaplin left the US and
lived abroad, his social commentary in this film (and I'm sure his
others) is astounding in its wit, comprehension, and directness. With
this new understanding, I am committed to see the other films in his library.